I talk honestly and openly about my experiences with mental illness, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome through the lens of feminism, fat acceptance and process theology. I also do recipe and book reviews. My mission is to spread the message that hope is always real for a better life, despite living in a world that is often very harsh.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Psalm 21 - Let Us Give Thanks for "It's Only a Number!"

L: Great Ones rejoice in You, dear GoddeP: So do I.L: You have given much to many-P: Including myself.L: The sun and moon bow down before You,P: So do I.L: All of creation cries out your name,P: So do I.

("L" stands for Leader and "P" for People.) To compare it to the original, go to Bible Gateway.(painting by Mark Kuhne)*****************************************************It is fitting that the next psalm I post is purely about giving thanks, for that is all I was thinking about a few days ago!

Last Friday, my mom and I had some much needed mother-daughter time and we used that time to go shopping for jeans, which I also very much needed. When I was a preteen, I loved to go clothes shopping with my mom, but then as my eating disorder progressed, shopping for clothes became very stressful, with me usually in tears.

But this time was different! The whole time I was trying on jeans, I just kept on repeating inside, "It's only a number, it's only a number..." And they are, you know! The sizes on clothes are just arbitrary numbers, with no intrinsic value! None!

I mostly credit the FA, or Fat Acceptance, Movement for the fact that I am beginning to really move towards sane thinking. More specifically, I credit the fact that I am committed to surrounding myself with positive people and I find the Fat Acceptance movement to be a really positive energy for my soul and mind. I am part of a community called Shapely Prose and I credit participating in their group discussions to be mind altering and soul affirming.

Even more specifically, I am open to The Sacred.

I think it is really important in recovery to have positive affirmations, or mantras, that one repeats over and over again until one believes them. I did not plan to repeat "It's only a number" that day, but when the phrase first entered my mind, I went with my instinct and kept on repeating it.

Are there affirmations that have suddenly surprised you like mine did?What are your favorite mantras?

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About Me

I'm a fierce smashing-the-patriarchy Christian feminist spreading the word that hope is real for people with mental health and chronic pain challenges. I do NAMI In Our Own Voice presentations, endorse Dialectical Behavioral Therapy(DBT) and baking cupcakes. I am in recovery from borderline personality disorder, an eating disorder and bipolar II. I work on managing my anxiety. I consider myself living in recovery, because mental illness and chronic pain no longer control my life.
If you would like me to speak to your organization about living in recovery from mental illness, please email me.